Colorado University Athletics
Sunday, October 30
Boulder, Colo.
12:00 PM
Colorado
vs
USC
Redshirt freshman Jalen Tompkins has been a key part of the soccer team's rise in the Pac-12.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
The Rise Extends From CU Football To CU Soccer
October 28, 2016 | Soccer
Buffs host No. 4 USC on Sunday in another top-25 battle
BOULDER – The Rise of the Colorado Buffaloes has been the mantra of the football team's incredible rise to the top of the Pac-12 South Division this season. The same can be said for Colorado's soccer team. The Buffs finished last season a year ago in the conference and were picked 11th this season, but have risen to the top spot in the Pac-12 with just two matches remaining.
A lot can be said for what has led to The Rise of the football and soccer programs this year. Obviously it takes great work on and off the field from the student-athletes and coaches. A lot of it also starts with the athletics department and the vision set by athletic director Rick George with the improvement of the athletics facilities and vision for sustained excellence.
"I think when you talk about The Rise with football, there's just a good vibe around the whole athletic department," soccer head coach Danny Sanchez said. "With the new facilities here in the Champions Center, everybody is on the same page and working towards common goals, which I think is very important. When you have good energy around all of the programs and the coaching staffs and the players…I think that helps."
CU's soccer team won just one conference match last year, ending a streak of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. This year the postseason seems to be a sure bet after the Buffs have upset a pair of top-10-ranked teams in their past two matches and have an 8-1 record in Pac-12 play, sitting atop the league standings at 24 points tied with No. 3 Stanford.
Sanchez believes last year's team had plenty of talent, but the margin for error is so small in arguably the best soccer conference in the nation.
"I felt we were better than we performed last year," Sanchez said. "It was a matter of getting those players to believe that they're capable of more. The Pac-12 [schedule] is so brutal that I look at the teams that are below us and there's not much separating us. The little things become the big things and we've really harped on our team with those things because there's not a big separation in talent or coaching or anything. There's just slim margins."
Sanchez credits his players' attitudes for the quick turnaround.
"The team really bought into what they brought to us," Sanchez said. "They brought the vision of how they wanted the season to go so they bought in and we helped facilitate it. You have successful teams when the leadership and vision from the team is coming from the team and the coaching staff is just helping facilitate it."
Colorado will host fourth-ranked Southern California at noon on Sunday at Prentup Field. Only the Trojans and a home match next Friday with Utah stand between the Buffs and a share of their first Pac-12 title.
"We're obviously happy where we're at," Sanchez said. "Nothing surprises me in this sport. Last year it was disappointing, but it wasn't overly surprising because it's a tough league. This year isn't overly surprising either. There are small margins and we've done well."
With two wins over top-10 opponents, one thing is for sure: The Rise Is Real.
A lot can be said for what has led to The Rise of the football and soccer programs this year. Obviously it takes great work on and off the field from the student-athletes and coaches. A lot of it also starts with the athletics department and the vision set by athletic director Rick George with the improvement of the athletics facilities and vision for sustained excellence.
"I think when you talk about The Rise with football, there's just a good vibe around the whole athletic department," soccer head coach Danny Sanchez said. "With the new facilities here in the Champions Center, everybody is on the same page and working towards common goals, which I think is very important. When you have good energy around all of the programs and the coaching staffs and the players…I think that helps."
CU's soccer team won just one conference match last year, ending a streak of back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. This year the postseason seems to be a sure bet after the Buffs have upset a pair of top-10-ranked teams in their past two matches and have an 8-1 record in Pac-12 play, sitting atop the league standings at 24 points tied with No. 3 Stanford.
Sanchez believes last year's team had plenty of talent, but the margin for error is so small in arguably the best soccer conference in the nation.
"I felt we were better than we performed last year," Sanchez said. "It was a matter of getting those players to believe that they're capable of more. The Pac-12 [schedule] is so brutal that I look at the teams that are below us and there's not much separating us. The little things become the big things and we've really harped on our team with those things because there's not a big separation in talent or coaching or anything. There's just slim margins."
Sanchez credits his players' attitudes for the quick turnaround.
"The team really bought into what they brought to us," Sanchez said. "They brought the vision of how they wanted the season to go so they bought in and we helped facilitate it. You have successful teams when the leadership and vision from the team is coming from the team and the coaching staff is just helping facilitate it."
Colorado will host fourth-ranked Southern California at noon on Sunday at Prentup Field. Only the Trojans and a home match next Friday with Utah stand between the Buffs and a share of their first Pac-12 title.
"We're obviously happy where we're at," Sanchez said. "Nothing surprises me in this sport. Last year it was disappointing, but it wasn't overly surprising because it's a tough league. This year isn't overly surprising either. There are small margins and we've done well."
With two wins over top-10 opponents, one thing is for sure: The Rise Is Real.
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